Delta and Delta Plus variants has been found in a sample collected on April 5, which indicates that though the number of cases in India at present is not massive, the variant is already present in some states for quite some time.
The Delta and Delta Plus variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have emerged as new threats to India’s fight against the ongoing pandemic which has seen several successful milestones with new infections plunging and the number of vaccinations increasing. Delta, first detected in India, is of global concern while Delta Plus – with 40 cases in India – needs more research. Delta Plus is a variant of Delta.
Difference between Delta and Delta Plus
Delta (B.1.617.2) was first detected in India. It is a variant of concern and a variant of interest.
As Delta Plus (B.1.617.2.1 / (AY.1) is a variant of Delta, it is also treated as a variant of concern. But the properties of the variant detected in India (AY.1) are still under investigation. According to the Indian Covid Genome Sequencing Consortium, AY.1 cases have mainly been reported in nine countries in Europe, Asia, and America.
The two are differentiated by the K417N mutation in the Spike protein that the Delta Plus variants possess.
While Delta was first reported in India, Delta plus was first reported by Public Health England in its June 11 newsletter. he said the new variant was present in six genomes in India as of June 7.
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How many Delta and Delta Plus cases are there in the world?
Delta quickly spread to the UK and reports indicate that the Delta variant is responsible for 99% of cases in the UK. In the UK itself, the number topped 33,000 in one week. This variant also extends to other countries.
According to the Center, as of June 18, 205 Delta Plus cases have been detected worldwide, with the US and UK reporting more than half of known cases.
What is Ay.2 another variant of Delta?
There are other Delta Plus variants with other mutations. Ay.1 was found to be the most common, but another AY.2 mutant was also found in the United States. This has not yet been found in India.
Is Delta Plus more transmissible, more virulent than Delta?
The delta variant of the coronavirus has been held responsible for the second wave of the pandemic in India. Several other countries also view Delta as the factor behind a sudden increase in cases. Indian experts said Delta Plus, already detected in Maharashtra, could be the source of the third wave.
Delta Plus is resistant to monoclonal antibody cocktail therapy in which artificial antibodies are produced in the body. But the Indian panel of experts confirmed that resistance to this does not mean this variant is more virulent.
Delta Plus was already present in India
The government clarified on Wednesday that after Public Health England reported Delta Plus on June 11, experts performed a retrospective analysis of the samples and found Delta Plus in a sample collected on April 5.
